Re: focus! (was Re: Focusing on innovation re: mono, python et al)

["BJörn Lindqvist" <bjourne gmail com>]

On 7/17/06, Havoc Pennington <hp redhat com> wrote:
> Jeff Waugh wrote:
> > <quote who="Havoc Pennington">
> >
> >> Or even why is GNOME sidelining things like:
> >>   - Maemo
> >>   - Elisa
> >>   - One Laptop Per Child
> >>   - ...
> >
> > You make it sound active - it's not, it's passive. But that's changing.
>
> I don't mean to imply active or not, and I'm glad to hear it's changing.
>
> I think having some of those non-desktop projects on equal footing
> within GNOME alongside the desktop release would make a big difference.
> _Especially_ if each subproject is defined by its target audience and
> benefit, rather than by its codebase.
>
> I thought of a more concrete approach to understanding what this means.
>
> Question for the list, what is the target audience and benefit to them
> of the desktop release?

The target audience is ME!! :) Seriously look at Windows and ask the
same question. What is the target audience and benefit to them of
Windows? The answer is it makes the computer work and present a
graphical interface that allows more advanced applications to be built
ontop of it.

A simple computing environment usable for anyone. That is the goal
Microsoft is striving for, GNOME should have a just as ambitious goal.

There are lots of functionality that is generally useful to
everyone. Or atleast a large minority of all users. Like a file
manager, window manager, display manager, configuration center, text
editor, package manager, games, web browser, music and video player,
system monitor, terminal emulator, word processor, spreadsheet
calculator, email manager, calendar, cd burner, irc client, im client,
mobile phone synchronization, plus lots more. And that IS GNOME, isn't
it? The challenge is to integrate it into one coherent mass so that it
becomes maximally useful for the largest number of people possible.


> Current:
>   - historical UNIX workstation users who want something similar but not
> dead
>   - technology fans who want a set of apps they can mess with and
> heavily customize
>   - thin client / computer lab deployments who want something with good
> manageability / security and low cost (the low cost especially for
> government/edu)
>   - server administrators who want to pack a lot of ssh sessions onto
> the screen, use some web-based admin consoles, and occasionally waste
> some time doing non-work stuff
>   - ...
>
> Future:
>   - ... ? (try to be as specific as the above)

Look at Windows. All this talk about the "target audience" scares the
hell out of me. Because if is decided that the target audience is the
white collar office worker (or some other stereotype I don't belong
to) it means that GNOME wont benefit me anymore.


--
mvh Björn